Five Virginia colleges announce energy initiative

Five colleges in Virginia announced on Thursday plans to use renewable electricity on campus.

Hollins University, Emory & Henry College, Lynchburg College, Randolph College and Sweet Briar College have teamed up with Collegiate Clean Energy for the initiative. Collegiate Clean Energy provides organizations with renewable energy products. The company is an affiliate of Ingenco, Virginia’s largest landfill gas (LFG) to energy operator.

“LFG is 21 times more destructive to the atmosphere than carbon dioxide,” Thomas Loehr, president of Collegiate Clean Energy said in a statement. “By converting LFG, we all enjoy a dual benefit of reducing greenhouse gases and at the same time producing renewable energy.”

According to a news release, the colleges will offset between 50 and 70 percent of their total carbon footprints as a result of the initiative. The institutions estimate they will jointly save between $3.2 million and $6.4 million over the next 12 years.

Electricity generated from LFG will be delivered to the colleges through the distribution system owned by Appalachian Power Company.